You might think that dad’s nine-to-five gig rules his life. But even if he’s often away on business, his biggest concern is simple: You.
That’s right, fatherhood is an always-on shift with no days off and zero overtime. So even if your dad is a workaholic, give him one of these great gifts as a Father’s Day bonus this year. Because even if parenting an awesome kid like you can be a thankless task, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
Roku Streaming Stick ($40)
When dad is out of town on business after a long day of meetings, untucking the comforter of his hotel bed undoubtedly reminds him of what he misses most at home: his TV shows.
Featuring a hotel connect feature that lets users log into their room’s wifi, the Roku Streaming Stick lets dad bring his favorite shows on his business trips. Providing access to more than 450,000 movies and TV episodes, it beats local cable by a country mile. And even better, by using the Roku remote, he won’t have to touch the hotel’s clicker — which is dirtier than the pay-per-view options.
Buy now: Roku Streaming Stick, $40, Amazon
Griffin Technology Travel Power Bank Backup Battery ($68)
If there’s one thing that fatherhood teaches you instantly, it’s that time — and batteries — eventually run out. That’s heavy stuff to be sure. But lugging around an extra charge doesn’t need to be.
This keychain-sized charger can top up the old man’s Apple Watch an extra 2.5 times with a single charge. That’s enough to get him through a typical business trip without having to pack the power cable. Charging via any USB port, it has an LED indicator to tell how much power it’s currently packing, and most importantly, no extra cords to lose.
Buy now: Griffin Travel Power Bank, $68, Amazon
Logitech Spotlight Presentation Remote ($130)
What if I told you that Dad could present like a TED speaker at his next conference. Would you believe me? Maybe. And what if I also told you that it only takes one thing — and he could hold it his hand? Boom.
Okay, I’ll save you the rest of the shtick and tell you why Logitech’s Spotlight Presentation Remote is a great gift for dad. With a minimalist, three-button design, it’s a natural fit for the big guy’s hand. Pairing it with the accompanying presentation app, he can use the remote’s pointer system to zero-in on details of images in his slides. And with vibration alerts linked to each slide, it will keep him on point, on message, and on time. A shame he can’t use it at home, too.
Buy now: Logitech Spotlight Presentation Remote, $130, Amazon
Google Home ($130)
Sure, it’s called Google Home, but with an increasing amount of Dad’s work-related info weaved into the search giant’s cloud services like Gmail and Google Calendar, it might as well be called Google Office.
With the old man’s permission, the AI inside this little smart speaker can tell him about his schedule, check the traffic heading to or from the office, and even tell if his upcoming flight is on time. Then again, with Google Home’s ability to distinguish between multiple users’ voices, maybe you should convince him to leave this gift at home.
Buy now: Google Home, $130, Best Buy
Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 ($200)
Whether dad is toiling away in the home office after hours or trying to focus on work in the middle of his company’s open floor plan, sometimes peace and quiet is what it takes to get the job done.
With very good active noise cancellation, Plantronics’ Backbeat Pro 2 over-ear headphones can isolate dad even in the midst of a clamor. With a 330-foot range, these Bluetooth cans keep pumping out audio even when dad walks away from his computer or smartphone. And with 24 hours of battery life, he won’t have to worry about topping them off nightly, either.
Buy now: Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2, $200, Amazon
Cubii: Smart Under-Desk Elliptical ($350)
They say sitting is the new smoking, but today’s children aren’t scolding dad into getting off his keister like 1980s kids pestered their parents over their Pall Mall habit. Nowadays it’s likely that dad actually wants to burn some calories while working – he just doesn’t know how.
Cubii, an app-connected, under-desk elliptical, can not only track dad’s workouts, it also can sync with his Fitbit so he can crunch fitness data while he’s crushing some Excel spreadsheets. Quieter and more compact than other under-desk pedaling setups, the Cubii offers eight levels of resistance for better workouts. And the smartest part: It also comes with wheel stoppers so your father won’t go flying out of his chair when he’s working (or working out.)
Buy now: Cubii, $350, Amazon
Mevo ($400)
Whether dad’s a social media maven or a networker who’s always doing video chats, this pocket-sized streaming camera is worth packing. That’s because its back-end smarts make it look like pops has a camera crew in tow at all times.
Shooting 4K video at 30 frames per second, this iOS-compatible camera can record footage as an MP4 file or stream to Livestream, Facebook Live, or Twitter’s Periscope via dad’s phone’s Wi-Fi or LTE connection. That’s all nice, but the real magic is in the software that can recognize who’s talking and crop in on them, making it seem like a production team is working behind the scenes. And on the weekend, broadcasting a soccer game or birthday party to far-away grandparents can make this work tool even more worthwhile.
Buy now: Mevo, $400, Amazon
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