Holiday Gift Guide - December 2014

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SECTION C • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014

Paul Watson Copy Editor & “Nerd culture enthusiast” Paul enjoys shopping for Geeky items on either ThinkGeek.com or thisiswhyimbroke. com.

His recommendations for all those nerds in your life are a Heat Changing TARDIS Mug for $10.99 and R2D2 USB Car Charger for $39.99.

Holiday gift guide Daily Post staff share gift recommendations based on their interests

Katie Morris Staff Writer & “Environmentally conscious” Katie believes in protecting our planet and uses organic and animal-friendly products whenever possible. She has a few suggestions for the environmentally conscious person on your list.

• Badger Cheerful Mind Balm Aromatherapy, which is USDA Organic and never tested on animals. It’s a portable way to uplift your mind while softening skin for $7.99.

• Aveda Green Science Lifting Serum helps skin boost its natural collagen production for a more lifted appearance. It’s formulated with bio-fermented glucosamine, organic argan oil, antioxidants and peptides to help promote surface skin-cell turnover, moisturization and visible skin firmness. The serum costs $53.

• It’s a nice touch to give your gift in a reusable bag like a Stash It, which is a super convenient, lightweight, washable shopping tote that stuffs into its own attached stretchy pouch for $15.95.

Corinne Nicholson Deputy Copy Desk Chief & “Pop culture junkie” Corinne enjoys watching movies, reading, listening to music and watching TV, so she has several ideas for those on your list that enjoy popular entertainment.

• Get the movie lover in your life “The Guardians of the Galaxy” on Blu-ray or DVD. “Guardians” was the runaway hit of the summer and comes out on Dec. 9 just in time for Christmas.

• Wireless headphones are the perfect gift for a music or movie lover. Use them to listen to music, watch movies without disturbing your neighbors and loved ones or give them to the kids so you can have some peace and quiet. They come in a range of brands, colors and prices.

• For your bookworm, get them George R.R. Martin’s “The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones.” This beautifully illustrated book takes a look at the history, the battles and rivalries leading up to the events in Martin’s book “Game of Thrones” that the HBO series is based on.

Joni Cline SCNI multi-media account executive & “Sister of an avid runner” Joni’s brother is a runner, so she has one on her shopping list every year. Serious runners don’t take the winter off, so if you have one on your shopping list this SmartWool base layer shirt will go a long way in keeping them warm during the winter months. This Men’s NTS Mid 250 Crew shirt is also good at wicking away perspiration, and as an added bonus the company bills it as a “no stink” garment despite the sweat. $95

Clay Forness IT Networking and Systems Administrator & “Tech-savvy gadget lover” Clay works in Information Technology, so he has several suggestions for those people on your list that love having the latest and greatest gadgets or electronics.

• Quirky + GE Refuel allows you to monitor your propane level from your smartphone making it an ideal gift for those who love gadgets and barbecue for $50.

• Radioshack Water Dancing Speakers are light portable speakers that allow you to listen to your music and enjoy a spectacular light show for $50.

• Logitech K480 Bluetooth keyboard is designed to toggle between any three Bluetooth-enabled devices, be they Android, iOS, Windows or anything else. A built-in tray lets you stand most tablets and phones for $50.

Tyler Estep Staff Writer & “Craft beer lover” Tyler believes that beer lovers on your list will love a gift certificate from Atlanta Beer Tours, allowing them to schedule a date for a tasting tour of the Atlanta area’s surprising number of local breweries. Tickets range in price from around $50 to $70.

Will Hammock Sports Editor & “Sports aficionado” Will has earned the title of sports aficionado having been the sports editor for the Gwinnett Daily Post for 10 years. He believes football fans will enjoy a visit to Atlanta’s newest sports attraction, the College Football Hall of Fame, with its many interactive exhibits and artifacts. It’s been very popular since opening in August.

Nicole Puckett Graphics Editor & “Working mom of three” Nicole works full-time at the Post and is a loving mom to her son Eli and her twin daughters Annabel and Harper. When possible, she enjoys small moments to herself like her morning coffee. She suggests getting the hardworking woman in your life these little mug cozies from various shops on Etsy. com to make her morning cup of bliss more special.

2C • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014

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Gift Guide: Get better at sports with smart gear

By Ron Harris

representation of a racket and showed the location of my off-center hits. This was helpful and gave me valuable information for future hitting sessions.

The data from the Babolat Play Pure Drive could be useful for mid-level to advanced players. The best part is that Babolat put the smarts into one of the best-selling rackets available, and not some odd outlier model that nobody uses.

The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Advances in technology present sports enthusiasts with plenty of options to train better and smarter.

High-level gear and biometric-analysis software are no longer limited to elite professional athletes. The weekender can now use some tech-savvy approaches to get better, perhaps, at a multitude of sports. Practice makes perfect, but technology can make practice better: • Hexoskin shirt ($400): I felt like Batman in his form-fitting bat suit. It’s a snug, black sleeveless shirt with a brain. Two bandagewidth strips containing sewn-in sensors run across the chest and abdomen areas. They were held tight against my body by adjustable straps. A rechargeable pack about the size of a mint tin fits nicely near my waist.

Once I started working out, the weirdness subsided and the hard work and perspiration took over.

The shirt communicated wirelessly with a phone app to give me real-time feedback about my breathing, heart rate, running cadence and calories burned.

What did I learn? Well, I need to run more to get in better shape, lower my heart rate and smooth out my breathing. All of these things are connected in exercise. Hexoskin did an excellent job illustrating that with smart on-screen graphics. Once I remembered to record my sessions, it stored all data so I could measure improvements.

• Babolat Play Pure Drive tennis racket ($400): This tennis racket logged every shot I hit, in or out, over multiple practice and competitive sessions. Sensors are integrated into the frame.

This Nov. 30 photo shows the Babolat Play Pure Drive tennis racket, in Atlanta. The racket contains built-in sensors that measure the impact of the ball on the strings as well as the power and type of swing used by the player. The racket then transmits that information wirelessly to a companion app installed on a smartphone or tablet computer.

(AP Photos/Ron Harris)

This Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 photo shows the 94Fifty basketball, in Atlanta. The regulation-size ball contains builtin sensors that measure the speed, arc and rotation of the ball and transmits that information wirelessly to a companion app installed on a smartphone or tablet computer.

Through a companion phone app, the racket told me a lot, including things I’ll need to build on if I hope to get better. After nearly a half-hour against a ball machine, I hit 191 shots: 106 backhands, 67 forehands, 15 serves and three overheads that were probably out of

bounds. But those numbers mean nothing without the underlying metrics the racket also measured.

Hitting a tennis ball with topspin allows you to swing harder, but keep the ball in the court. Even though I thought I hit nearly everything with a fair amount

This undated product image provided by Hexoskin shows the Hexoskin exercise shirt. The shirt contains built-in sensors that measure the breathing patterns, heart rate and motion cadence as it is worn. The shirt then transmits that information wirelessly to a companion app installed on a smartphone or tablet computer.

of topspin, the racket stats told me otherwise. Of those 106 backhands, only 18 registered as being hit with topspin. Thirty weighed in as slice backhands, and 58

were flat strikes.

The on-screen statistics were primarily displayed with numbers and percentages, though the “impact locator” gave a graphical

• 94Fifty basketball ($250): This smart basketball is primarily designed to help you develop better mechanics and fundamental hoops skills. It won’t tell you, though, whether you made the shot. Arc and rotation are the primary metrics the ball calculates.

After stretching and dribbling around, I began a pretty lengthy shoot-around session at a local court.

When I launched the companion app, I took the option of setting my desired shooting range at 15 feet. That’s how far away the free-throw line is, and anything beyond that was going to nibble away at my confidence and cause me to miss more.

During one session, I took 26 shots from that range.

The ball and app told me that the arc was too low on 14 of those shots and too high on another four. I made a few adjustments to my style and got more shots in during the next session later that day.

But it’s hard to tell whether the advice from the app helped me make more shots or whether I was just getting warmed up.

Still, the technological heft of the ball is for real, and it can measure dribble power, the number of consecutive dribbles and the amount of backspin on my shots.

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 • 3C

Gift Guide: 3 ways to watch streaming video on TV

By Anick Jesdanun AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK — Even casual viewers of online video will appreciate the ability to watch it on a big-screen TV. For about $100, you can get a great streaming TV device to do that. Or for about a third of that, you can get a pretty good one.

Content selection varies, but all offer such basics as Netflix, Hulu and YouTube.

After trying out 10 streaming devices, I have three recommendations and an honorable mention: Amazon Fire TV Stick A “stick” is a cheaper, lightweight version of a regular streaming device, often with poorer performance. That’s not the case with the $39 Fire TV Stick, which is why I’m recommending it over the $99 Fire TV. The processor isn’t as powerful, and there isn’t as much working memory. But in my tests, video streamed well on both devices.

The Stick lacks a remote control capable of voice search — you type searches into the on-screen keyboard.

Voice search costs $30, or you can download a free app for your Android device. A version for iPhones and iPads is coming too.

The app isn’t as easy to use as a real remote, but it does the job.

The Fire TV devices stand out in having voice search that works well.

My lone complaint is that you’re currently limited to content from Amazon, Vevo, Showtime, Crackle and Hulu. No surprise that Amazon content is emphasized; its two main rivals, Apple iTunes and Google Play are missing.

Unfortunately, the Stick is out of stock until mid-

so outside services, including ABC, HBO and Showtime. Apple is able to insist on consistency that way, so keyboards and menu layouts are similar from app to app. New services are automatically added through software updates.

Amazon and Google Play are missing, though you can “cast” content to the TV indirectly. Using your iPhone or iPad, load Amazon or Google Play video and send that to Apple TV using a feature called AirPlay. Quality sometimes suffers with casting.

Google Nexus Player (Honorable Mention) Google’s $35 Chromecast stick is useless on its own.

Your only option is casting, and I have found the experience and video quality to be poor. Google’s new $99 Nexus Player is the better choice. Its performance was This Sept. 29 file photo shows the Roku 3, a product for streaming popular video services, apps and games in high- comparable to the Apple TV definition, in Decatur. (AP Photos/Ron Harris, File) and Fire TV devices.

The Nexus has voice search like the Fire. While the Fire limits such searches to titles, actors, directors and genres, the Nexus offers more flexible searching — though it works only some of the time. A voice request for “movie with Tom Hanks and mermaid” correctly gave me “Splash.”

This product image provided by Amazon shows the Ama- This product image provided by Google shows the On the other hand, “docuzon Fire TV stick. The Fire TV Stick is a small stick that con- Google Nexus Media Player system. mentary Oscar winners” nects to the HDMI port on your HDTV for instant access to gave me fictional flicks the Roku separately.

30 seconds on Amazon and movies, TV shows, music, photos, apps, and games.

Even with the top-end Google devices and roughly such as “Gravity.” Video January, so your loved one search is limited to Google Except for iTunes it has all model, Roku tends to give a minute on Apple TV. will have to settle for a content and a few other the leading channels. me the most problems with promise. The regular Fire services for now.

There are many Roku video and audio improperly Apple TV TV is available immediately models. The $50 Roku I hesitate to recommend syncing. In many cases, Apple TV, at $99, and is better for games. the Nexus because it has Streaming Stick is adequate it’s subtle — something I remains a solid device and relatively few apps. There’s for basic video, but paincan live with in exchange is a great choice for those Roku 3 no HBO, no Showtime, no fully slow when rewinding for more choices in video who already have iPhones This device is agnostic and forwarding. The topcontent. It does have the or iPads. Place one near the ABC, no ESPN. PBS Kids on content providers. There end, $100 Roku 3 performs best buffer, at least for is an option, but PBS isn’t.

Apple TV for easy set-up. are more than 1,000 apps much better. Some TVs Netflix and Hulu streamYour iTunes account trans- Casting is offered for some to download, many for ser- have Roku built in, though of these services, but the ing. That’s important when fers over wirelessly. vices you have never heard you’ll be better off picking your Internet connecYou can’t download new Nexus needs more standof and will never watch. alone apps to be useful. the TV you like and getting tion is spotty. Video kept apps as you can with the That will come over time, playing for a few minutes others. Apple takes a “less but not necessarily in time after I unplugged my cable is more” philosophy and modem. It lasted only 15 to curates Apple TV with 45 or for the holidays.

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Gift Guide: How to choose a new cellphone

By ANICK JESDANUN

You can also find phones on eBay and Amazon.

Check with your carrier first to make sure it’ll work, as networks in the U.S. vary.

AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK — Now is a good time to get a smartphone. The latest devices hit shelves in time for the holiday shopping season, and there’s likely to be a lull in new releases until next spring. So why wait?

Here are some things to consider before hitting stores. If you’re upgrading from an older model, you can skip the first part aimed at first-time smartphone buyers.

Do you need a smartphone?

Maybe you’ve been doing fine with just a basic cellphone, but many people who get smartphones discover things they never thought they could do. You can install a museum’s app to get a map or learn about the current exhibits, or you can catch up on e-books with a reading app. You can also check email and Facebook more easily and take great pictures and quickly share them.

But you’ll pay more — not just for the device.

Monthly fees for voice, text and data tend to be higher compared with basic phone plans.

Which system should you pick?

This is the most important decision because it will influence your future smartphones. It’s not easy

In this Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, file photo, the Motorola Moto X smartphone, using Google’s Android software, is shown at a media preview in New York. The latest devices are out for the holiday shopping season, and there’s likely to be a lull in new releases until next spring. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, file photo, the iPhone 6 plus, left, and iPhone 6 are displayed, in Cupertino, Calif.

The latest devices are out for the holiday shopping season, and there’s likely to be a lull in new releases until next spring. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

computers. Android can’t pull that off because the hardware and the software to switch once you have have more say in what they aren’t as tightly inteall your apps, contacts and write for Android phones. grated. favorites on one system.

That flexibility has led There are several other With Apple’s iOS, you to a free-for-all environsystems vying for third can choose between a ment, though. Settings place. Microsoft’s Winvariety of iPhone modand features vary so much dows is the most promels — ranging from the from phone to phone that ising, after BlackBerry giant iPhone 6 Plus to the it’s tough to ask a friend or tumbled from pioneer to older and smaller iPhone look online for help. And also-ran. Windows is a 5s and 5c. The iPhone 6 is some Android apps won’t good system, but it has a good choice in between work with all phones. fewer apps. and comes with all the Because Android gets bells and whistles, includ- too fragmented many app How should ing a chip to make paydevelopers work with iOS you pay for it? ments in stores that accept first. Apple is the only You used to simply pay Apple Pay. Phones running company that makes iOS $200 for the best phone, Google’s Android operatphones, and it must apand the phone company ing system include even prove what goes into its covered the remaining more choices from several app store. That helps en$450 or so, making up manufacturers, including sure quality, but it means for it in higher service Samsung, LG, Motorola, trusting Apple to make fees over the life of your ZTE and Sony. those choices for you. two-year contract. Lately, Android is more flexible One advantage of iOS is phone companies have in the sense phone makers that iPhones work well been trying to wean cuscan customize it to their with other Apple devices, tomers off subsidies by liking, and app developers including iPads and Mac having customers bring

used phones or pay full prices in installments.

With T-Mobile, that’s the only option. In return, you pay less in monthly service fees.

If you forgo subsidies, you generally come out ahead if you sign up for a larger data plan — 10 gigabytes or more with AT&T and Verizon and 20 gigabytes or more with Sprint. The monthly discounts aren’t as big with smaller data plans, so you’re giving up more in subsidies than you get in discounts. But the installment plans have other advantages, including the ability to trade your phone in for a newer model before the typical two-year contract is up.

You can buy phones through your wireless carrier or go to a retailer such as Best Buy or Wal-Mart.

How much should you pay?

It might be tempting to spend a lot for the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phone, but you should ask yourself whether you need all that power. This is especially so if you are paying full price. (If you’re getting a subsidized phone with a contract, then why not make the phone company pay for the best?)

There are several phones available for $200 or less, at contract-free prices, compared with $600 to $700 for the typical high-end phone. You’re typically giving up a better camera, a better screen and a faster processor. But what you get in a budget phone is often good enough for such basics as email, Facebook and even video. First-time smartphone owners will notice a huge difference over their basic phones.

Smartphone veterans might want something more, especially if the phone is their primary access to the Internet.

Heavy users might even consider paying more for additional storage. Phones fill up quickly with photos and video and downloaded music.

Gift Guide: Help your selfie with some add-on gear

By Ron Harris Associated Press

ATLANTA — Not all selfies are created equal.

Some are blurry, are poorly framed or miss the action entirely because you might be scrubbing your thumb fishing for a virtual shutter button as the moment passes you by.

Although phone manufacturers are trying to help by building in tools for better selfies, many of these have their limits. For better selfies, consider some of these gadgets for yourself or your loved ones.

This Nov. 18 photo shows the Kodak Pixpro SL25 in Decatur, Ga. The Pixpro is a camera that connects wirelessly to the user’s smartphone and takes high-resolution photos and video while framing the image on the phone’s screen. (AP Photos/Ron Harris)

This Nov. 18 photo shows the Satechi Smart Selfie Extension Arm Monopod, in Decatur, Ga. The item is a telescoping pole that can extend to three feet and hold a smartphone while operating the phone’s camera controls via Bluetooth-connected buttons on the grip of the pole.

mon for rear cameras, but not the front ones for selfies.

• Halo/Hisy ($25): have too many manual your phone’s camera can As a bonus, the Pixpro This one is really simple. settings or special features. capture. The Pixpro comoffers a zoom of up to 25 The Halo is a small plastic But the device does a good municates with your phone times, which is more helpful button that serves as a wire- job allowing me to place my over Wi-Fi and lets you for regular shots than selfies. less shutter trigger for your phone in places other than compose the image on the It’s a real, optical zoom, not phone’s camera. Its only job my hand. I got some nice phone’s screen. Once photos a software magnification is to trigger your phone’s shots of myself and my dog are snapped using the shut- phones typically use. shutter when you click the by putting the phone against ter button on the Pixpro, the The Pixpro has fold-out button. One function, one a rock in the front yard and phone serves primarily to arms to attach to my phone, result. sitting a few feet away. It’s review and share the images such that the two devices My tests with the Halo more elegant than setting the to social media services. act as one. That, in itself, for my Android phone went camera’s timer and running The downside is you have isn’t different from using smoothly. The company to get in the shot. a second device to carry just the phone for selfies. makes an iPhone version around, which defeats the But I was able to hold the called Hisy. You need to • Kodak Pixpro SL25 purpose of taking selfies on Pixpro and press the shutter install its free camera app, ($300): the fly. in ways I could not with my Shutter Panorama, as neither The Pixpro SL25 from The upside is image qual- phone. For instance, I was Halo nor Hisy works with Kodak is essentially a cam- ity. The Pixpro shoots sharp able to have my finger rest the regular camera app that era lens that mounts onto 16 megapixel photos and on a physical button on the comes with the phone. your phone, allowing for full high-definition video at Pixpro instead of searching Shutter Panorama doesn’t higher resolution than what 1080p. This quality is com- on the phone’s touch screen

for a virtual one.

I had a lot of success using the Pixpro unattached to my phone as well. It has a wide-angle lens that fits plenty of action into the frame.

Some phones are coming with better front cameras.

The one on HTC’s new Desire Eye is 13 megapixels, the same as the rear camera. There’s even a front flash. You’ll still get sharper images with the Kodak attachment.

• Satechi Smart Selfie Extension Arm Monopod ($50): This telescoping monopod from Satechi helps get more than just yourself in

the frame. Similar to the Kodak unit, this monopod has spring-loaded rubber pieces that grip the phone on its sides, holding it firmly in place. From there, you simply extend the telescoping device out to its full three feet and get lots of buddies or surroundings into the shot.

What really helps is that a shutter button on the grip of the pole connects to your phone via Bluetooth, allowing you to snap the selfie without reaching up to the phone. Once I paired the monopod to my phone and launched my default camera app, I was able to easily snap various selfies with a birds-eye view and other vantage points longer than my arm.

The Satechi unit worked fine with my phone’s default camera, but not with other camera apps I enjoy, such as FxCamera and Candy Camera.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Note models do let you fit more people in by stitching multiple images together.

You tilt the phone left and right, and the Note’s software does the magic behind the scenes. The shot won’t be as instant, though, as what the monopod can provide.