Sometimes, it’s just hard to shop for a geek. (My family complains about this every year, starting about now.) So, to help out our readers, our blog team put out a call to our fellow busy bees at Aerohive so that we could bring you a geek-friendly gift list.
If you don’t like what we came up with, put your own suggestion in the comments.
Our rules:
- It has to be electrical. Without circuits, it’s probably not tech.
- Practicality is only a secondary consideration.
- Other than that, make your case!
So, what did we come up with? A lot! Based on the wide-ranging submissions, I've split the list up into six separate blogs: Home; Car & Audio; Phones & Location; Wearables & Photography; Toys; and Airplanes.
Enjoy our first installment on gadgets to make your home life a little better.
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After spending the day in the office, most of us spend most of the rest of our time at home. When I first moved to Silicon Valley, having a “wired” home was what you aspired to. Now that Wi-Fi is cheap and accessible, not surprisingly, many of the home appliances we are after are also Wi-Fi clients.
WATCHING TV JUST GOT EPIC
Gift Idea: Vizio P-Series 70” 4K Ultra HD Smart TV
Who wants it: Tash Hepting, Tech Marketing
Why does Tash want it:"Most people will look at this TV and think “Wow, that’s a great price for a new 4K resolution TV… that I don’t yet have any actual content for.” Me? I look at it and think, “That baby has a 3-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi radio that does up to 1.3Gbps - I NEED a TV with a faster Wi-Fi connection than my laptop, NOW.”
Where can you get it: http://www.vizio.com/tvs/pseries/p702uib3.html
KNOCK-KNOCK (NOW YOU CAN SEE WHO'S THERE)
Gift Idea: Ring
Who wants it: Jeff Haydel, Systems Engineering 
Why does Jeff want it: "What could be cooler than a doorbell that kicks off a FaceTime session whenever someone rings your doorbell? I talk about the Internet of Things (IoT) all the time, so I also love to bring it into my own home."
Where can you get it: https://ring.com
MAKE EVERY MORNING A BLAST (OFF)
Gift Idea: Rocket R58 Espresso Machine
Who wants it: Vik Evans, Systems Engineering
Why does Vik want it: "It’s the only way to start (and end!) the day.”
Where can you get it: https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/rocket-dual-boiler-r58-espresso-machine
WORKING, OR WORKING OUT?
Gift Idea: LifeSpan Treadmill Desk
Who wants it: Joe Fraher, Knowledge Services
Why does Joe want it: "Sitting at a desk all day long can lead to medical problems. Standing is better but still doesn’t provide enough exercise. That’s why I’d like to get the Lifespan Treadmill Desk for Christmas. That way, I don’t have to stop work to go for a walk, and I can burn calories while burning the midnight oil." [Editor’s note: No comments about treadmills at work, please.]
Where can you get it: http://www.ergodepot.com/Treadmill_Desk_TR800_DT_p/tr800-dt5.htm
NO PASSWORD REQUIRED!
Gift Idea: Keewifi Router
Who wants it: Gary Zeng, International Sales
Why does Gary want it: "This is proof there are always new ideas in Wi-Fi!"
Where can you get it: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/133046260/keewifi-router-tap-to-connect-30-second-setup
Tech Buyer's Guide Roundup:
- Holiday Gift Guide (for Tech Geeks) pt 1: Home
- Holiday Gift Guide (for Tech Geeks) pt 2: Car & Audio
- Holiday Gift Guide (for Tech Geeks) pt 3: Phones & Location
- Holiday Gift Guide (for Tech Geeks) pt 4: Photography & Wearables
- Holiday Gift Guide (for Tech Geeks) pt 5: Toys!
- Holiday Gift Guide (for Tech Geeks) pt 6: Airplanes