Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/315999
98 l Macon Magazine october/noveMber 2013 Yes, it's October and yes, Christmas is just a few months away. It's hard for me to believe – each year seems to move faster and faster. I looked down for one minute and the next thing I know Starbucks is featuring their Pumpkin Spice Latte and Samuel Adams' Octoberfest is back. Winter is my favorite time of year – the cool weather, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and extended time with family. It just doesn't get any better. To help you enjoy the holiday season, I've put together a shopping list for you to help remove the stress of last minute shopping. Each of these gifts is techie-approved for the gadget lover in your life (our web developers really came through in helping make these suggestions). Smart Watch The next wave in mainstream smart devices is the watch – there are a few in production and several more ready to hit the market within the next year. Way beyond telling time, the smart watch makes the world's information more accessible than ever. Current models offer capabilities similar to your smart phone, but the future is very bright – models will soon monitor your pulse, measure your temperature, and record your sleep patterns. Some say the smart watch has the capability to become another organ. I know, crazy right? But it's true – there's a whole movement behind this idea ("the quantified self"). the Samsung galaxy gear ($299, Wireless Provider) plays off the popularity of their Galaxy phone and has sold well, though reviews haven't been overly positive. There are other models that are less known, but may be more user friendly and technologically advanced, such as the Pebble Watch ($149, Best Buy). Whichever model you decide on, be sure to read the reviews and capabilities before making a decision. There's another device that's very interesting – it isn't a watch, and doesn't provide web surfing, but it does provide some of the features today that we expect the watch to have in the future. It's called UP ($129, Jawbone.com) and it's a bracelet that is designed to be worn 24/7, is water resistant, and has a 10 day battery life…and it tracks your sleep, both at night and power naps, and daily activity. It has an idle alert, smart alarm, and an insight engine, which analyzes your daily activity and offers suggestions for health optimization. google chrome cast Utilizing wireless technology for your TV is nothing new, but Google may have just made it easier (and less expensive) than anyone else's version. The new Chrome Cast ($35, Google.com) works in a similar way to Apple TV and Roku, but for a third of the price. Simply plug in the device to your HDTV and gain access to movies, TV shows, music, Netflix, YouTube, and more. It is controlled by your smart devices, so you don't need to learn anything new. The Chrome Cast turns your smart phone or tablet into a remote and casts the video to your HDTV – so you don't have to watch that tiny screen any longer or be limited by practically inaudible speakers. Simple as that, this is a perfect stocking stuffer that every techie will love, and one the entire family will benefit from. Know a techie who also enjoys golf? Then the Swing tip ($129, Swingtip. com) is the perfect gift. The device clips onto the golf shaft and weighs less than an ounce. With each swing, it syncs with your smart phone and delivers data on swing speed, path, impact zone, club face angle, and tempo. You can store all of your swings and compare them across five swing checkpoints, as well as view your swing from three animated angles. It also helps you keep track of scorecards and stores them on your smart device, ready to email to all your golf buddies. WorK smart by MattHeW MicHael 5 Gift Ideas that will please any Techie in Your Life